The present invention relates generally to a portable apparatus, and more in particular to a portable apparatus for reducing the dimensions of a workpiece using rotatable work means and having a portable electric drill motor as the drive means. Such drill motors include both battery-driven and line-driven motors.
Numerous motor-driven tools are found in the prior art which are capable of reducing the dimensions of a workpiece by using rotatable work means. These include lathes wherein the rotatable work means is a workstock shaped by a fixed, i.e., non-rotating, tool or a generally cylindrical or tapered file circular in section wherein the rotatable work means is an abrading tool which shapes the workstock. Generally, each of these prior art devices is either incorporated into a strongly built apparatus which is too heavy to be readily movable manually by one individual from place to place, or if truly portable, is not designed to be accurate, reliable, safe and durable. Furthermore, so far as is known, the rotatable work means of the various prior art devices are not capable of being interchangeably driven by a light, easily portable power source such as a portable electric drill motor. This often requires the craftsman to acquire separately powered devices for each lathing or filing operation, as well as for certain abrading operations such as grinding, honing or sanding.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a single portable apparatus for reducing the dimensions of a workpiece which apparatus includes an electric drill motor, rotatable work means, a base member for adjustably positioning the electric drill motor, a journalled support member adapted to support the rotatable work means thereon in operative relationship, and a working element support member, the work means including, alternatively an abrading tool or a piece of workstock, the entire apparatus being not only portable but also accurate, reliable, safe the durable, while being relatively inexpensive to construct and maintain.